Combating Implicit Bias With Meditation

Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Degree type
Graduate group
Discipline
Subject
implicit bias
mindfulness
meditation
loving-kindness
compassion
empathy
emotions
Business
Funder
Grant number
License
Copyright date
Distributor
Related resources
Author
Bendit-Shtull, Tai
Contributor
Abstract

We investigated the effects of a mindfulness meditation and loving-kindness meditation on implicit bias as well as the cognitive and emotional pathways through which these techniques act. We did this through a lab experiment in the Wharton Behavioral Lab in January 2017. We randomized 224 participants into three groups: a mindfulness meditation group, a loving-kindness meditation group, and a mind-wandering control group. After receiving one of the inductions, participants completed an Implicit Association Test measuring implicit bias against people with disabilities (IAT: Greenwald et al.,1988), as well as a set of survey questions. Although we were unable to demonstrate a reduction in overall implicit bias scores, we found a significant reduction in error percentage on the IAT for participants in the loving-kindness meditation group as compared to the control group. This effect was mediated by state compassion and positive state pleasantness, and is suggestive of reduced implicit bias.

Advisor
Date of degree
2017-01-01
Date Range for Data Collection (Start Date)
Date Range for Data Collection (End Date)
Digital Object Identifier
Series name and number
Volume number
Issue number
Publisher
Publisher DOI
Journal Issue
Comments
Recommended citation